


"Hey, don't do that, you'll hurt yourself."

by sunshineandsnow (orphan_account)



Series: if I fall and hurt myself, would you know how to fix me? [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes Has Nightmares, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Wanda Maximoff is the best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:43:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10069703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sunshineandsnow
Summary: nevrmoravnO26ontumblrsaid: "NevrmoravnO26 has conflictingly decided for prompt no. 3. Could Wanda b fretting over Bucky?"





	

It’s a nightmare that wakes him. He opens his eyes and sucks in a breath, his heart beating fiercely. Wanda is leaning over him, relief flooding her expression when their eyes meet.

“You’re alright,” she says, taking a shaky inhale. “I got you.”

Terror lingers in the back of his throat. Fragments of the dream drift back to his memory, but even those fade as he sits upright. The air feels hot—no, it’s just him, sweat beading on his forehead. His gaze wanders the room, before settling on Wanda once more.

“I didn’t–” he begins, reaching out a hand to graze the witch’s shoulder. “Did I…? I woke you up.” It’s dark, only a bit of moonlight shining in through the window. Something tells him it’s past midnight, but too early for anyone to be awake. Wanda looks tired. Scared, too.

“It’s not your fault,” she says, one hand held lightly against his chest. She is silent, for a moment. He is still trying to catch his breath.

“You were thrashing about so much,” she finally explains. “I was afraid–”

It’s not what he wants to hear, and she realizes his anguish a second too late. His hands scrape over his head, clasped fingers pressing into the aching muscles of his neck. He digs his nails into his skin.

“Hey,” Wanda whispers, gently but urgently pulling his hands away. “Don’t do that; you’ll hurt yourself.” She grasps his fingers, stroking his knuckles in a soothing motion.

“Better me than you,” he replies, hanging his head.

“What?” Surprise colors the word. “No; don't—don’t say that.”

“I can’t do this anymore, Wanda,” he says, voice breaking with emotion.

“Do _what_? James.” She whispers his name like a plea. It hurts to meet her gaze, but he does anyway.

“I can’t put you through this. Waking up in the middle of the night. For one of my bad dreams. It’s not fair.”

“No. No, it’s not like that. You know–" 

He cuts her off. ” _You know what I can do_ , Wanda. What if I–oh,  _god,_  I couldn’t–if I hurt you. One night, a bad night. I couldn’t live with myself…“

Her eyes are brimming with tears at the desperation in his words. “You can’t push me away,” she chokes out. “You can’t. Look, I’m here.” She cradles the sides of his head. “I am _here_. I’ve _been_ here. You think I would have stayed all this time, if I was afraid of you?”

He doesn’t want to think about that. He doesn’t want to imagine Wanda loving him out of pity, or groundless hope.

Her voice is a tremulous whisper, but her words are sharp and piercing. “Haven’t we shared the same sins? How many times have I woken you with a nightmare of my own?”

She is crying, now, and he hates to see her cry. It twists something in his chest (what must be left of his heart). “I don’t deserve you,” he says, reaching out to smooth away her tears.

“No,” she insists, and there is so much strength in her gaze, in the way she looks at him. It makes him proud, and yet, humble, at the same time. If he has fought demons then she has fought the Devil. “No. I think I finally realize… we deserve each other, James. After all we have done. After all we have been through.” She lets each weighted phrase float in the night air, hovering between them. “We deserve each other.”

Maybe she’s right. Look at them now: softer and gentler with each other than either of them could ever have imagined. Scarred, bloody and bruised, but still breathing. Something about the dark makes everything seem clearer. He kisses her and pulls her close as he can manage. Morning will come when it will.

Peaceful sleep or not, he always feels better next to her.

**Author's Note:**

> Message my [tumblr](http://winterxblood.tumblr.com/ask)! Comments are always appreciated. :)


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